There are twenty major religions in the world and only three of them cause the most trouble and they just happen to be the primitive desert tribal Abrahamic ones. The rest, which actually have more followers combined than the Abrahamic ones, are pretty peaceful in their tenets.
While I personally don't believe in any deities or follow any religion, if I were, it wouldn't be to believe in and follow the more peaceful ones. Jainism perhaps. It's the most peaceful one on the planet and even a hardcore Jainist would be harmless, unlike the Abrahamic ones.
Also, if one really reads the books of the Abrahamic religions (which I have), one can easily see that the deity was a man made creation and not real.
Dear MDiver: I think what you are describing is the two folds of the one flock:
The Gentiles under natural law (Buddhists, many earth-based or nontheistic science based
approaches fall here)
and the Jews or churched elders under scriptural laws and authority
(Jews, Christians and Muslims)
Some of Constitutional laws and principles overlap both, covering both natural laws of the secular Gentiles and the belief in natural rights given by God where there is a connection by Jesus or Justice joining the laws of man with the laws of God as one. So that can blend in with the Christian tribes who adopt the laws directly by conscience where the people embody and become the government.
Because political religions cross the line between church and state, there is more room for abuse, so that is where the conflicts, political violence and war come in.
There is greater responsibility for members and leaders of groups that take on leadership roles in govt; of course, there is more room for abuse when people take on that responsibility as leaders, as opposed to just following and letting other people lead.
You don't see sheep in the field starting any wars, but they rely on people to herd them around and to tend to them and make sure they are safe and fed.
With greater responsibility to manage, create and govern also comes greater ability to abuse oppress or destroy with that same authority. So it goes both ways.
Instead of criticizing one group or another, the point is to learn how to use our resources and authority responsibly and in balance; regardless which groups we align with or not.
Equal Justice under law applied to all people and groups. We can't just avoid the responsibility, hand it over to others to lead and govern so we can follow, then complain if they cause problems. We all have roles to play, and should support each other in succeeding.
